Sapphires, Rubies, and The Complete Picture
by xSummonerYunax
Summary: [Post AC CloTi] [Marlene, may I get a picture of Cloud so I can show Santa what I want for Christmas this year?]COMPLETE
1. Chapter I

Sapphires, Rubies, and The Complete Picture

Tifa hummed softly to herself as her fingers delicately worked to fold the tricky edges of her present for Marlene. She woke up a few hours earlier just so Marlene and Denzel wouldn't know what she was up to. She didn't want them to get all excited with the presents when Christmas was still three days away. Needless to say, Tifa had a feeling that Christmas was going to be spectacular this year. It would be the first Christmas she would share with both the kids and Cloud. However, something about that thought also made her nervous. She was not concerned about the kids, but with the latter. Things appeared to be working between them. After saving Midgar and defeating Sephiroth for the second time, Cloud was alot more open. It was as if the heaviest burden had been lifted off his chest.

Tifa smiled to herself as she recalled herself shyly asking him to live with her, Marlene, and Denzel again. She chuckled as she remembered him nodding in a heartbeat. The truth was that she missed him terribly when he left them because he was plagued with Geostigma. She was not only confused, but hurt at the same time when she saw Denzel fighting so hard to get rid of the disease and Cloud just giving up on his life. _Was it because he wanted to die? Am I not worth anything to him?_

Tifa shook away the negative thoughts. Sighing, she neatly placed the wrapped present on top of Denzel's and shoved both packages under the table top behind the bar. Glancing upstairs, she could see the blonde man sleeping peacefully with his chest rhythmically heaving up and down. She smiled at the sight of how peaceful he looked. Cloud was with them now and that was all that mattered. He had been living with her again for the past two weeks and she had to admit that they've been getting closer. She was extremely happy about that fact but at the same time, she couldn't get rid of the fear that he was going to leave her again.

She didn't know what she would do if he were to step out of her life for the third time. Hopefully, things were going to stay just the way it was now, but her experiences taught her that nothing is guaranteed in life except for death.

The brunette drifted her attention to the windows. Outside, a beautiful field of white was forming in the city. Her face lit up when she saw thick packets of snow freely landing on the ground. She could hardly believe the sight . It rarely snowed in Midgar because of the plate that toppled over the city, but now that it had been removed, it looks like they were going to get a white Christmas.

"Is that snow?"

Tifa turned around to find Marlene rubbing her eyes, but excitedly looking out the windows. The girl quickly ran towards the older woman who gently picked up the child.

"Yes it is snow! Can you believe it? This must be the first time you saw snow in Midgar huh?"

"Yeah! Wow Tifa! It's so beautiful..." Even the child was lost for words as she watched the sparkling white whirlwinds working its magic outside. "Can I go out and play later?"

"Of course! But after breakfast okay?" Tifa turned to look at the stove just in time it emitted a soft click. "Oh, speaking of breakfast, we can eat now! Can you please help me set up the table?"

She placed Marlene back on the ground and went to the oven to retrieve a batch of cupcakes and muffins. The sweet sugary aroma filled the room as she planted the plate of delicacies in the middle of the table with the milk and juice. All she needed now was people to help eat the morning feast.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to go wake up Cloud okay?"

"Okay! I'll get Denzel later."

Tifa smiled as she left the kitchen. It looks like they were going to have an hour or so to themselves before the bar opened. She lightly padded up the wooden stairs, not wanting to wake up Denzel or Cloud on the way. She had something childish in mind that she wanted to do. It was corny, yes, but it was also something she had wanted to do for a long time.

She was relieved to find that Cloud was still sound asleep in bed. Grinning, she tiptoed to the edge of the bed and stood proudly behind him. She slowly brought her hands towards his eyes while balancing herself so she wouldn't tip over the gap that stood between her and the man. Just as she was about to clasp her palms over his eyes, he jumped up and swiftly encircled her waist with his strong arms and pulled her down.

"HEEEY! Cloud!" Tifa squealed outloud as her face was met by a thick fluffy pillow.

"Just what do you think you're doing, huh?" Cloud laughed while trying to put on a mock frown, which was failing miserably by the second. He dragged the female deeper into the covers and pinned her arms down, disabling her from moving. He smirked when he saw her squirm under his grasp. She was strong, but he had the advantage from being on top of her. Finally, she realized it was futile to fight back and lied still. 

"Hmph. How did you know I was there anyway?" she whined sweetly.

"Because I was never asleep in the first place?" 

"OH! So are you saying that you were just lying in bed waiting for me to come upstairs and do something?" Tifa cried in disbelief.

"I'm not going to deny that..." Cloud whispered gently as he lowered his head, his lips just inches away from the tip of Tifa's nose when...

RRIIINNNINGGG!

Both adults jumped up in surprise. The phone next to them was ringing off the hook. Cloud silently cursed under his breath as he hopped off the bed and grabbed the phone, almost ripping out the cord in annoyance. "Hello? Strife Delivery Service," he answered crankily. _Who the hell calls this early anyway?_

Tifa laughed as she settled back in bed, pulling the covers up to her chest. Her face was burning a light shade of pink. Their little incident was so minute, but the way Cloud was actually playfully messing with her meant the world to her. She had never seen him so relax and free. She propped her elbow against the pillows and rested the side of her head on her curled fingers while watching the blonde chat on the phone.  
He was speaking lowly, almost as if he didn't want her to hear what he was talking about.

_What's going on?_

"Okay. I'll be there as soon as possible." Cloud sighed as he placed the phone back onto the hook.

"What's wrong Cloud?" Tifa sat up in alarm as he saw the look of dismay on the male's face.

"Nothing nothing. Don't worry!" He rushed over to the bed and quickly gave her a light hug. He knew Tifa loved jumping into conclusions and was concerned about almost every little trivial thing. It was SUCH a bad habit, but at the same time, she was such a sweetheart for caring so much. "I just have to get into work early. It's really busy these days with Christmas just three days away. It looks like I will be loaded with deliveries to make."

"Oh..." Tifa replied with a bit of disappointment in her voice. She hugged him back, relieved that the phone call was only about work. "You should eat something before you go then. Come on! I made your favorite cupcakes and muffins!" Tugging on his sleeve, she dragged him down to the bar where Marlene and Denzel were already sitting at the counter eating.

"Tifa! They're awesome!" Denzel commented in between munches.

Tifa giggle and handed a cake to Cloud. "Here, at least take this if you don't have time to sit and eat."

Cloud could feel the heat from the sweet seeping into his hand as he took it. The warm chocolate scent was tickling his nostrils and he wanted nothing more than to sit down at the counter with Tifa and the kids, but he knew his job was important. He needed the money now more than ever since almost all the gils earned on their previous journey was donated to Midgar's reconstruction. AVALANCHE was not even a bit hesitant when they handed over the money, but now he wished he could've kept just a tiny bit amount for himself, just for this occasion.

"Thank you so much. I can't wait to eat it," Cloud said as he threw on his black coat. Tifa walked over and draped his matching knit scarf around his neck. As he pulled on his boots, she leaned against the counter, admiring his handsome features. The way that his long blonde chocobo-like hair shrouded his face whenever he bent over always made her grin. He was surprised when he looked up to find Tifa staring at him goofily.

"Do I have something on my face?" he asked curiously.

_No, your face is perfect..._

"N-no...your face is fine," she stuttered. "Have a nice day Cloud. I'll see you tonight!" Tifa waved as the male turned to give her a suspicious look before walking out the door.

"Man...sure is cold today..." Cloud murmured as he closed the door to the Seventh Heaven tightly behind him. He was surprised to see snow when he took his first step out of the bar. He felt so content knowing that the first thing AVALANCHE wanted in the Midgar Construction plan was to remove the dreaded plate that gloomily loomed over the city. Finally, there was now real sunshine cascading over Midgar, not the usual streaks of pale light that refracted into the old city through broken cracks in the plate.

He held out his palm as he walked down the street to his Delivery Service. It had been awhile since he felt real snow. Maybe this was going to be one magical Christmas after all. He couldn't help but smile as he watched the children on the streets building snow mans and having snowball fights with each other. If he had time after work, he wanted to do the same with Tifa and the kids. It would be their first white Christmas as a...family.

Family.

He liked the sound of that. No, it was not like they were married or anything, but all they have is each other now. One thought led to another. Marriage and kids suddenly entered his mind. He shuddered at the thought of having more kids at the age of 23. Marlene and Denzel were already a handful. He had no idea how Tifa manages to put up with these two when they go berserk, but then again, Tifa was one incredible woman. Cloud snickered to himself. Marriage was going to have to wait as well. Right now, the only thing he cared about was making a decent living to help support his 'family'.

He checked his watch and groaned. If he didn't hurry, he was going to be late for work and that meant income reduction. It was ridiculous that he was the boss of his own company and he had to worry about getting to work on time. Unfortunately, he hired a professional manager to gain more money and now he abides by his rules. He knew he should be heading to the Headquarters right away, but he couldn't help jogging to "The Little Shop of Diamonds" to glance at his prize.

When he arrived, he was relieved to find that the necklace he wanted was still there. The shiny string of silver adorned with tiny ruby and sapphire crystals tantalized him from behind the glass. In the middle of the chain was a splendid diamond flower with a gorgeous red bud. Cloud had been walking down this lane just for this particular jewelry store for the past two weeks, and every time he did, he couldn't resist looking at the beautifully crafted necklace. He made a promise to himself that he would save up enough money by Christmas to make the purchase for Tifa.

Seeing the saleswoman through the glass, Cloud shyly waved back to her. It was so embarrassing having her catch him every day and night staring at the necklace, but he couldn't help but feel drawn to the jewel. Even the lady claimed that the necklace was a special amulet that would offer its wearer eternal happiness and protect him or her from danger. Cloud just assumed the woman was creating some phoney myth to allure the customers to buy the item...and it worked! Myth or not, he knew Tifa deserved eternal happiness and Lord knows he didn't want her to EVER be in danger again. That thought was soothing, but the six digit numerical value of the silver choker was not.

Cloud checked his watch again. _Crap! I'm already five minutes late!_

For the sake of desperately needing 100,000 gils by Christmas, he hurried to his company without another glance at the store.

Author's Notes: Yes yes! I've decided to do a Christmas CloTi! I will try my best to get it done before or by Christmas, but I'm not sure that will be possible depending on how much work I will get from school this week and during break. This will be a very short multi-chapter fic just to get in the Holiday spirits. Thanks for reading and please leave a review! I'll be sure to try to update soon!


	2. Chapter II

"Marlene, Denzel, dinner is ready!" Tifa yelled out the window only to win no response from the two kids. She shook her head. It looked as if they were having too much fun playing in the snow. She was thinking about calling them in again, but the sight of them rolling in the snow and making snow angles was just too adorable. With a happy sigh, she walked back to the bar and finished cleaning up the last bits and scraps from her previous customers before placing their generous tips into a small container. Fortunately, she had enough money to provide for both Marlene and Denzel.

Just as she was about to pull out the soup from the microwave, the phone rang. The ringing reminded her of her little morning scene with Cloud, which made her blush again before picking up the phone.

"Hello?" she answered cheerfully while setting plates and forks in front of each seat on the table.

"'_Ey Tifa! It's me Barret!"_

"Barret?" She stopped what she was doing and gave the former AVALANCHE leader her undivided attention. "Hey! It's been so long since I last heard from you. How is everything going?"

"_Haha, I'm still stuck at Corel trying to help out the people, ya know? Anyway, I can't thank you enough for taking care of Marlene all this time. You just let her know that her Daddy will be up there to see her for Christmas, aight?"_

"Of course Barret. You know she misses you alot! But, I'm glad you are safe and sound. We can't wait to see you again!"

"_I can't wait to see ya'll again too. Oh, how is the spikey headed ass? He treatin' you right?"_

"Hehe...yes yes, Cloud and I are getting along just fine. He's really changed you know! He's alot more opened and carefree. I love the new him..."

"_Well that's nuttin new. Teef, for as long as I can remember, you ALWAYS loved him, even when he was a stupid jerk."_

Somehow, she could picture Barret rolling his eyes at her. "Hey, don't roll your eyes at me!"

"_Teef...you're..."_

"I'm a psychic?" she finished.

"_More like a psycho! Hahaha, I'm kiddin'. Listen, you all betta have a great night or else I'm gonna have to do something about it!"_

"Heh...Marlene is playing outside. Would you like me to go get her so you can speak with her?"

"_Nah, if my angel is havin' fun, then let her. You jus remember to tell her that her Daddy loves her. I gotta get back to work now. Christmas can be such a pain in the ass ya know? Thanks again Teef."_

"No problem Barret. Good night!" __

Well that was a nice and amusing phone call.

She grinned to herself while carefully lifting each steak from the pan and sliding them onto the plates. Things were going pretty well for her today. Business at the bar was great, the kids had fun, Barret called, and for once, her steak did not stick to the edge of her worst cooking pan. The only thing she needed to make the night end perfectly was to have the entire household gather around her warm evening meal. Tifa checked the clock and when she saw it was almost eight, she frowned. They usually ate around seven, but for some reason tonight, it was different. After setting a bowl of dry salad in on the edge of the table with the soup, she wiped her hands on a washcloth and walked to the windows again.

Although it was dark outside, there were plenty of colorful Christmas lights snaking around Midgar City. Some of them were solid, others twinkled amidst the darkness, liberating a sense of holiday spirit. The bar was decorated with strings of red and green lights pouring over the steps and around the sides of the windows. Tifa was quite proud with her accomplishment. She managed to decorate the entire outside bar by herself with her little assistants Denzel and Marlene. The only thing she needed now was to find the old Christmas tree and have that done soon. The tree was important. She wanted Cloud to be part of the special occasion so she was saving it until he had more time on his hands.

_Speaking of Cloud...he's pretty late tonight. I hope he's OK._

Tifa assumed his job was keeping him busy. She had to stop worrying. He was a grown man and was fully capable of taking care of himself.

She opened a little crack in the window, just enough to yell out. "Marlene! Denzel! Please come in now! Dinner is ready!"

"We're coming!" Denzel answered back. He threw one last snowball at Marlene before helping the girl to her feet. Both children dashed through the door into Tifa's welcoming embrace.

"Did ya all have fun, hmm?" Tifa grinned kindly as she helped the two take off their coats, mittens, scarves, and hats. Snow landed all over the front entrance, creating a rather big wet mess.

"We did! Thanks Tifa! Oh, we'll help clean up the mess!" Marlene said sheepishly. She was about to go to the closet to retrieve a mop when the woman stopped her.

"Hey! Don't worry. I'll take care of it. Oh Marlene, before I forget, you father called and he said that he was going to come see you for Christmas."

The little girl's eyes lit up with joy as she jumped up and down, her pony tail swaying back and forth with her movements. "Really? Wow! I can't wait to see him again! OH Denzel!" She grabbed the boy's hands. "You will LOVE him. He's the best father in the world!"

"I can't wait to meet him then! Cloud told me alot about Barret...mostly good stuff," Denzel said with a wink.

Tifa was thrilled that the two kids wer so excited but dinner was still mandatory. "You two seem like you could enjoy a nice meal that's waiting for you at the table. There's also hot chocolate waiting for you at your plates." The brunette ushered them to their seats after they calmed down and made sure they made no attempt to get out until they finished their meals.

"Yum! This looks delicious Tifa!" Denzel commented. He could feel his mouth watering just by staring at the meat on his plate, but he remembered the importance of table manners. Like a proper gentlemen, he poured Marlene a glass of hot chocolate before he did the same for himself. Next, he scooped a bunch of salad for the girl who seemed a bit anxious about the formal situation.

"Um...thank you Denzel," Marlene said politely as she accepted his offerings.

"You're welcome Marlene. You must be hungry after all the hours we spent in the snow. You're not cold are you?"

"Oh no no! I'm fine, thank you..." Marlene said again with a tiny blush.

Tifa had to stifle a laugh. She drew herself away from their little scene by picking up the mop to clean the entrance. She could already tell Denzel's biological parents must have been people with incredible manners. Marlene and Denzel were just way too cute. She felt so blessed to have them in her life, for her life wouldn't feel as complete if one of them were to step out. Mopping the floor suddenly became less tedious while glancing at the two children at the table. They both had a voracious appetite after spending so many hours being active. 

"Tifa? Where's Cloud?" Denzel asked suddenly. He looked around the bar only to find that it was empty save for the three current residents.

Tifa shook her head. "I don't know..." she admitted honestly. She unconsciously continued mopping the floor while peeking out the window, hoping to see the blonde appear before her any moment. Unfortunately, minutes passed before she sighed heavily. "He should have called if something was up. I guess I'll him to find out what's wrong." She whizzed pass the table and grabbed the phone, her fingers rapidly pressing numbers. "Oh, if you two are still hungry, you can share Cloud's serving. It doesn't look like he will be home for dinner in time. I'll just make him something later."

"Are you sure? I want Cloud to eat with us..." Marlene said sadly as she looked at the full dish in front of the empty seat.

"Honey, he will eat with us tomorrow. I promise I'll make him something wonderful later on," Tifa answered while waiting for the male to pick up on the other line. _Come on come on! Where are you?_

Marlene didn't feel so guilty anymore. Tifa's warm smile encouraged her to take Cloud's meal and split it with Denzel. "Here Denzel. You can take this." She neatly used two forks to wedge the steak apart, giving half of it to her friend.

_Ugh! Why isn't anyone picking up?_

Frustrated after ten rings, Tifa placed the phone back on the hook and folded her arms across her chest. She thought hard at where he could be, but couldn't come up with anything else besides work. She prayed he wasn't hurt or anything. It WAS the holiday season and thieves tended to roam the streets during the night, waiting for their chance to pick pocket.

Trying to keep herself and mind preoccupied, she decided to clean up the mess on the table. So much for ending the night perfectly with a nice cozy meal. 

"Ohh! Do you know what time it is you two? You better go wash up and I better see you BOTH of you tucked tightly in bed by the time I come up," Tifa playfully warned.

"We're going we're going! Come on Marlene." Denzel grabbed her hand and dragged her upstairs with him. "Oh wait Tifa! Are we decorating the tree soon?"

"Yes we are. I'm going to have it set up tomorrow and we can all decorate it at night. How does that sound?" 

"Great!" Marlene and Denzel shouted simultaneously.

"Hehe...Okkkay! But that means you two have to hop to bed now. Good night. Don't worry about Cloud. I'll take care of him." The brunette watched until the children were out of sight before letting out a low groan. Where was HE?

----------------------

_I'm late I'm late I'm late! God damnit! First I go to work late and now I'm heading home late. What the hell is wrong with me and why did my cell phone have to die on me NOW out of all times?_

Cloud constantly pushed away his messy blonde locks from his face as he ran down streets after streets of endless snow and bright lights. He was getting sick of looking at all the Christmas decorations despite the fact they were completely gorgeous. He just wanted to get back home to Tifa so she wouldn't worry her pretty head off. He checked his watch again and angrily cursed out loud. Fortunately, no kids were in the perimeter to hear his vulgar statements.

His journey through the snow was arduous. Not only did it slow him down, but the freezing temperature was getting to him as well. He whipped his scarf around him in another layer and continued to hurry down the blocks. He forced his legs to move quicker, but any more urging would lead him to collapse dead on the field. He had worked non-stop at the company for eight straight hours delivering packages after packages to rather rude strangers. Thankfully, the pay was decent. He couldn't wait to get home to open his envelope to see how much money was written on his check.

Pulling out his cell phone once more, he let out a frustrated cry when the battery was still dead. He must've made too much calls or received too much on the job. Most of them were urgent messages telling him to hurry up with the job so families could get their presents in time for Christmas. __

The night was quiet except for the low holiday tunes playing near the window sills and the light jingles of bells. It must have been the sweetest sounds he heard in Sector Seven. Two years ago, the only sound that rang throughout the air was the loud mechanical engines roaring within the reactors as they sucked out the Life stream to power up the entire city. Fortunately, the engineers found a way to use the Bolt materia to charge Midgar now. Things had been much peaceful and settled ever since then.

A low rumbling caught him off guard. Cloud thought he was hearing the annoying reactors again until he felt his stomach churn. Aside from the cake that Tifa handed him that morning, he ate nothing else due to absolutely no time to stop for a decent meal.

_It'll all be worth it in the end when I see her face light up from the necklace._

He could already see the tiny green shimmers outlining the Seventh Heaven Bar just a few more blocks away. Cloud breathed a sigh of relief before picking up speed again from the motivation. He was just minutes away from having a nice hot meal and then heading straight to bed underneath the warm toasty covers. The blonde could already feel his eye lids getting heavy as the thought of sleep came to mind. If he hurried, he could catch a good full four hours of sleep before heading back to work. Tomorrow was going to be an even longer day.

The harsh wind whipped against his skin as he jolted down white lanes after white lanes until the final steps of the Seventh Heaven stood right before him. He finally reached his safe haven.

"Tifa?" He knocked gently on the door. "It's me Cloud..." He waited awhile before knocking again. It was already close to midnight. _She's probably asleep...right?_

"Tifa?" He cried out again with slight fear in his voice. He started to worry that something else was going on inside. Danger immediately entered his mind. Cloud walked over to the windows to take a peek but the curtains were tightly drawn. __

Damn! Why didn't I ever think about getting keys to this place?

A part of him wanted to tear down the front door, but that would not be very rational.

_But what if she's hurt...or-_

"Cloud...?" a sleepy voice muttered as the wooden door creaked open.

"Tifa! You're all right!" Cloud rushed in, throwing his arms around the female and drawing her into an embrace.

"I...of course I'm all right..." Tifa said slowly, somewhat stunned at the same time. Her body shivered against his touch, but she didn't want him to withdraw...ever.

Cloud noticed her body quaking against his and quickly backed away, not noticing the disappointment written all over her face as he hastily turned around to close the door tightly behind them.

"I'm so sorry," he apologized when he realized he was hugging her with all his wet and freezing clothes on. He immediately discarded his black coat and scarf before running his hands up and down her arms in an effort to heat her. She shook her head and nuzzled her cheek against his could neck.

"It's okay. Where have you been? I've been glancing out the windows upstairs for the past hour or so. I'm sorry I came late to open the door. Finding the way downstairs in the dark isn't the easiest thing..." she laughed softly.

"Tifa...my phone died so I couldn't reach you. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to tell you that I was really busy at work today. I didn't think it was going to be THIS busy until I got there...I'm really sorry. Please forgive me...?"

Tifa's features softened as she watched Cloud bow his head, seeking her forgiveness. He looked like a little boy who learned his lesson after being painfully reprimanded or had his behind spanked for punishment.

"Really Cloud! It's fine. I was worried, but you're okay and that's what matters..." She cupped his chin and lifted his head until their eyes met. Tifa could feel herself blushing as she planted a tiny kiss near the corner of his mouth. "Um...I made something for you to eat. It's kinda cold now but I can heat it up."

She walked over to the counter with Cloud's eyes trailing after her. He was caught in a daze, mesmerized by her gentle touch and her generosity.

"Well? Are you going to come?" Tifa smiled as she placed a dish of noodles into the microwave, heating up the content.

Cloud nodded quickly. "Yes. Sorry." He pulled up a stool in front of the counter and sat down. Tifa ducked underneath to retrieve some napkins and fork. She popped up right in front of the blonde's face with a huge grin before setting the utensils in front of him.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Give me something hard."

They both beamed at the same time, remembering those spoken words two years ago at the old Seventh Heaven.

"Heh...I guess some things will never change, huh?" Cloud whispered.

"And I hope they won't Cloud...I hope they won't..." She set her delicate fingers on top of his hand, feeling them being clasped within his grip. She felt his warmth seeping into her soft skin as their fingers intertwined and-

Ding!

Tifa moaned out loud. This was the second time that day that they were interrupted by the sound of technology. She reluctantly pulled her hand away to pick up the dish from the microwave.

"Here, I'll get it. It looks hot and I don't want you to burn yourself," Cloud offered as he prepared to get up from his seat.

"No. I got it!"

"Are you sure...?"

"Yes. Are you doubting my talent as a bar tender?"

"No! Not at all. Just...be careful," Cloud warned as he sat back down.

Tifa expertly kicked the microwave frame shut with her long leg while using both hands to set down the plate of seafood noodles in front of the man. "I hope you like it..."

"It smells delicious already. How can I not?" Cloud picked up his fork and twirled it within the plate, catching the noodles in a bundle before devouring it. He closed his eyes, savoring the mildly salty buttery taste of the noodles with a hint of shrimp and lobster merged within the taste. "God Tifa...this is exquisite. I'm so lucky to be living with the Planet's greatest chief."

"Oh Cloud! Stop teasing!" The brunette taunted with a small yawn in between her words.

"Tifa, you seem really tired..." he observed. Cloud momentarily dropped his fork and looked at her with concern. "You should really get to bed. I don't want to burden you anymore."

"You're never a burden Cloud..."

_That's what you think...Tifa_

"I'll feel better if you went to bed. I'll be up soon after I finish this and clean up."

"Well...okay..." she replied, unsure if she really wanted to do that. However, she decided it would be for the best when she saw Cloud giving her a stern look from the corner of his eyes. "All right all right! I'm going! Good night Cloud..." she said as she turned at the staircase.

"Good night Tifa. I'll be up soon."

"Oh Cloud?"

"Yes?"

"Um...we're gonna decorate the Christmas tree tomorrow evening. You think you can join us for that?" she asked nervously.

"I...I wouldn't miss it for the world..." Cloud replied genuinely. No one had ever asked him to help decorate their tree before. It would be his first time, and it would be a special time because he would be doing it with Tifa.

"Thanks Cloud!" Tifa exclaimed. "I can't wait and the kids can't either! You have no idea how much this means to them...and to me. I..."

"You what...?" he asked curiously.

"N-nothing. Never mind. I'm just thrilled that we're all going to do this...together." _As a family _she thought.

"Heh...I'm thrilled too...more than you will ever know..."

Author's Notes: Here's the second chapter. I don't think I will release the next one by Christmas, which is tomorrow so I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you all for reading. I believe this is my first Christmas fic ever and I'm happy to say that it involves my favorite couple ever!


	3. Chapter III

Cloud rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, unable to win the battle against the roaring alarm clock beside him. He roughly slammed a hand on the stopper before the clock woke the whole house up. He rolled over on his other side and found that Tifa was still sleeping peacefully. Her soft rhythmic breathing soothed him and he wanted nothing more than to go back to bed while listening to the cadence. But, he knew that was not possible.

Tossing the covers aside, Cloud quickly walked to his drawers and randomly tossed on a black sweater and a pair of dark blue jeans. He didn't even bother combing his hair because that would mean he had to look into the mirror and he did not want to do that. Deep dark circles were evident under his eyes, making him look like the living dead. His usual Mako eyes were vibrant, filled with energy, but the ones he bore now were simply seeking sleep. He ALMOST felt as drained as taking on Bahamut and Sephiroth but that was an entirely different story.

The blonde literally had to drag himself into the bathroom to get cleaned up. Groaning, his hands felt the walls as they guided him to the sink. It was 4 AM and pitch black outside. Turning on the lights would ignite attention and he did not want that. He found his toothbrush in the dark and clumsily covered the bristles with a layer of toothpaste. He quickly brushed his teeth with foams forming around the corner of his mouth. Filling a glass with water, he gurgled and spat out the waste.  
_  
Nothing like a nice minty mouth after THREE hours of sleep _he thought sarcastically.

Cloud sighed. He tried to refrain himself from being so critical of his job. The pay was good and he would finally see Tifa's face light up with joy the following evening when he would present her with the sapphire and ruby necklace. The thought of her smile alone managed to dispel some of his crankiness. He left the washroom after splashing his face with cold water, not bothering to wipe off the drippings. He had more important things to do like opening the check downstairs.

The leader cursed softly to himself as the creakings erupted underneath his steps. He made a mental note to himself that he would have to do some repairing around the Seventh Heaven after Christmas. Downstairs, he grabbed his coat and fished out the sealed envelope in the pocket. He was suppose to have opened the envelope last night, but fatigue overwhelmed him to the point where even visualizing became difficult.

Walking to the counter, he turned on a tiny light in the corner, just bright enough for him to read the content. Carefully tearing the edges, he finally got the check out. When he saw the numbers written on the paper, his jaws dropped open in shock. It was not in awe, more like astonishment.

Astonished at the fact that he realized he was still 10,000 gils short after doing some quick mathematical calculations in his head. He angrily gripped the paper, being careful at the same time to not tear the check. Something was wrong. How could he still need 10,000 gils after all the work he had done for the past month at the Strife Delivery Service? Sure he took some hours off during the beginning of the month, but he tripled his shifts for the past few days.

_Damnit! I shouldn't have slacked off in the beginning! How am I going to get 10,000 gils by tomorrow?_

"There's still today I guess. If I work around 15 hours, I can get about...8,000 gils, but where am I going to get another 2000?" he whispered to himself.

Actually, he could only get around 8,000 gils hypothetically speaking if business bloomed. If not, he could end up with even less. Sighing, he poured himself a glass of warm tea and sat at the counter idly staring at the stack of mails and papers with little interest. He had to come up with a way to earn the rest of the money...and fast! His first logical thought was taking out a loan in the bank, but all the banks in Midgar City were not yet running. He hated the thought of calling up his old AVALANCHE friends to ask for money for he hated others pitying him. Gulping down the soothing mildly hot liquid, he stared at the clock plastered against the wall. He was suppose to be out the door in five minutes or so.

With a look of despair written across his face, he pushed himself back from the counter and grabbed his coat in the closet. Cloud took a quick look out the window. The snow seemed to have ceased, leaving behind thick blankets of white fields. The air outside was frigid, making him bundle up tighter as he carefully shut the door behind him after sticking a note on the inside for Tifa. He really hated to leave her and the kids alone, especially when it was so close to Christmas, but what other choice did he have if he wanted the money? He watched with slight amusement as his feet sunk into the deep snow, leaving behind firm imprints of his track. He was enjoying the 'swish' sounds that sounded from his walks and looking down on the ground caused his eyes to catch a glimpse of an article in the newspaper. More specifically a job offering.

With curiosity, he bent down and picked up the paper, dusting off the bits of snow that sprawled across the page. On the front cover was a black and white picture of a Santa Clause surrounded by gigantic gift boxes with a huge bright Christmas tree in the background. Cloud smirked at the picture but it was the words below the image that sparked his interest.

'Santa Clause and Elf needed for Christmas Picture taking at the Midgar Mall located in Sector 5 Slums. Generous Pay. Please contact 1757-239-7667 for more information. Deadline is Christmas Eve. We hope to hear from you soon.'

_Santa Clause huh? And generous pay...perhaps..._

"What do I have to lose?" Cloud grinned as he dug into his coat pocket, pulling out his phone. He quickly dialed the buttons while gripping on to the newspaper as if it was his only source of hope as he walked to work. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Marlene, please eat your noodles before they get cold!" Tifa scolded gently while dragging up the Christmas tree from the basement. She grunted out loud, obviously struggling with the weight of the tree while trying to prevent her skin from being scratched at the same time. She tossed a quick glance at Marlene and found her jumping up and down next to the counter. 

"Tifa! Let us help! Please?" Marlene begged. Her noodles were already cold and she was not in the mood for anything. Her eyes roamed to the stack of presents that laid neatly against the window sill. Christmas was tomorrow, but the excitement was truly getting to her. Her lips curved into a pout as an adrenaline rush nearly forced her to rip open the gifts.

"Okay. You can go downstairs and pick up the boxes of ornaments while I set this down...right over here..." Tifa planted the solid tree in a lonesome corner of the bar before throwing herself down on a nearby couch, huffing and wheezing. _I must be losing it due to the lack of training. _

She fanned herself with her hands and smiled as she watched Marlene and Denzel hurrying up the stairs from the basement with their hands occupied with the old boxes of sparkling decorations. "Thanks you two! I guess we'll start whenever Cloud comes home, okay?"

"I hope he comes home early today because I reaaaaaaaallly wanna open my presents," Marlene squealed.

"OKay okay! But remember, this will be the ONLY Christmas where you guys get to open your gifts on Christmas Eve!" Tifa had finally agreed to abide by the kids' wishes to open their gifts earlier simply because they were pleading her almost every minute of the day. They pulled puppy faces, whined, pouted, anything that would break her heart if she said "No". 

"He should be home any minute now, shouldn't he?" Denzel asked, looking at his watch. It was almost seven, the usual time when Cloud arrived home. However, tonight was a special occasion and if anything, he should be home sooner.

"Yes...he should be home any minute now..." Tifa said slowly. She recalled the note she picked up at the door in the morning. He stated in the note that he remembered decorating the Christmas tree and he would be home as soon as possible for it. Too bad it was too blunt. When exactly was 'As soon as possible'? Last night, he showed up at after midnight.

Marlene climbed on to the chair and rested herself on Tifa's lap. The woman gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about me honey."

"Then why do you look so sad Tifa?"

"Sad? I look sad?" Tifa tried her best to grin widely, or at least attempt to put on a fake one.

Marlene nodded. "Is it because of Cloud?"

Truthfully, she didn't know why she was getting all depressed. Maybe it was seeing everyone on the streets with their loved ones--together on the special holiday. She saw families walking down the streets together, admiring the lights and simply enjoying the first taste of snow in Midgar. Or maybe it was because she closed down the bar early and worked hard to make preparations so that everything would be perfect when he came come. The only problem was that he was constantly late.

_No Tifa. He was only late last night! _she reminded herself. She had to stop herself. She was being way too critical and harsh on Cloud. She knew his job was very important to him and flexibility with time was just not possible during this season.

"Hey. Let's all read a book shall we?" Tifa said energetically, obviously changing the subject. She extended a hand, guiding Denzel towards her as she picked up a storybook in one of the boxes of ornaments. "How about reading Midgar Bell Carols?"

"Isn't that a song?" Marlene inquired.

Tifa nodded. "Yes, it's a song, but it's also one of the best Christmas stories I had ever read."

"What's it about?" Denzel asked as he also made his way on to the chair and sat on the other side of the woman.

"Well...let's find out shall we?" The brunette smiled and turned to the first page.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So that means I can start tomorrow then?"

"Yes you may sir. It looks like you are the perfect candidate for the job. Just come by really early in the morning tomorrow so you can have time to change into your costume. The picture taking session will start at 9 AM sharp!"

"Thank you so much. I really need the job." Cloud bowed his head to emphasize his gratitude. "I'll be back tomorrow morning as soon as possible."

"We look forward to having you." The manager of the mall gave the blonde a light pat on the shoulder and escorted him out of the mall. "If you have any more questions or concerns, please contact me."

"I will. Good night," Cloud said as he left the plaza. He was pleased that he got the job. It looks like he would be able to buy the necklace for Tifa after all with the money that he was going to earn tomorrow. 

The entire day had been hectic and crazy. He must have stopped by fifty houses or so to deliver presents, mails, candy, mysterious packages, and more. His legs were aching horribly as he trudged through the snow. The journey home was going to take forever.

_I need a break..._

He looked around Sector 5 to see if there were any places where he could stop to take a breath, but found none. Most of the stores and restaurants were closed. Even the inns weren't open. Everyone was probably at home spending their time with their family and he he WAS, walking around like a beggar on the streets.

He felt his shoulders slouching, his rigid form slowly collapsing as he weakly walked aimlessly around the streets. He needed somewhere to rest before he had enough energy to make it back to the bar. The entire city became a whirlwind to him as he visioned buildings spinning out of control. The multi-colored lights only added to the headache. Each blink confused his sense of sight even more, almost to the point where he couldn't even properly perceive his surroundings.

Minutes passed as he wandered through the empty streets. If people were to see him at that moment, they would've thought he was drunk. His eyes were half opened, the other half longed for sleep as he forced his body to be pulled along the stores and buildings. He momentarily paused when his bare hands felt a very familiar material. It was dry and coarse wood, a wood that would forever be etched in his head for the place would always bear a special memory in his heart.

Cloud Strife suddenly became alert has he stood before Aerith's church. The last time he was in there was only a couple of weeks ago when he saw her spirit leave the physical world. He truthfully did not want her to go, but it was time he started to forgive himself for his mistakes. Aerith would have wanted that and he couldn't feel more content than giving her what she wanted...she deserved at least that and much more.

_Maybe I'll say a small prayer for her..._

The door creaked when he pushed it open as he silently walked in with keen eyes observing the church. It looked pretty much the same. Nothing has changed except for a few flowers that were now withering, but he knew Tifa came here often to look after the wild life as a way to keep Aerith's memory burning alive. 

Cloud knelt beside a small patch of yellow flowers. Their strong fragrance immediately enveloped his nostrils as he breathed in the sweet smell. He plucked up a single yellow rose from the cluster and held it between his index finger and thumb, twirling it around as if he was trying to examine some obscure detail of the plant. The blooming flower itself seemed to be illuminating a strong golden aura whenever its soft petals faced the direction of the moonlight as it was being rotated. It was truly a delicate beauty.

"I hope you are happy where ever you are Aerith...and Merry Christmas..." he whispered as he lied down on the wooden planks that made up the floor. He brought the rose closer to his face as his fingers continued to twirl the flower around. His eyes blankly stared at the ceiling, roaming from one barrel to the next as a surge of memories came rushing back to him. He had no idea how long he had been watching the fixed kegs...it was as if he was lost in time, mesmerized by ordinary mundane objects.

_I had a feeling he was going to be here..._

Tifa didn't know what to feel first. The fact that she saw Cloud lying in her best friend and rival's church or the fact that he had completely forgotten about her and the kids. She blinked back a couple of tears as she watched with blurred vision at the blonde sleeping peacefully on the floor.

"Maybe this is where he wants to be..."

After waiting for him for three hours and receiving no messages from him, Tifa decided it was time to take action. She spent the last hour running around Sector 7 and when she couldn't find anyone who had seen Cloud, she purchased a ticket and took the train to the Sector 5 Slums. So why should she be shocked? She already had a feeling that he would be here, but she had to see it to believe it...and now she did.

_At least he's safe..._

Defeated, she turned around, preparing to walk out of the church when her foot got caught between a crack in the planks. She struggled to slide her boot out of the hole in the dark and as a result tripped over and landed on the ground with a thud.

The ruckus vibrated, sending the sound waves throughout the entire chapel, which eventually reached the ears of the sleeping blonde. His heart jumped as his blue eyes instantly snapped open. His first thought was that there were intruders in the church. The area was too dark to see, but there was enough light for him to make out a tall slim figure at the entrance who appeared to be injured on the floor.

"Is anyone there?" 

When the figure did not respond, he stood up. Tifa must have detected his actions because she immediately forced herself to stand with the aid of the rows of benches beside her. She quickly rushed for the door, but Cloud was too fast. He jolted behind her and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her around.

"Who are you?" he demanded. He couldn't see the person's face but he could tell she was a female from the way her face was structured underneath the thick black hood.

"Let go of me!" Tifa yelled in frustration. She pulled her arms out of his grasp and made a reach for the wooden doors.

"Tifa...?" Cloud asked as if he couldn't believe it was his childhood friend standing in front of him. The venom in her voice left him dumbfounded. "What...what are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" The brunette easily turned around and pointed an accusing finger towards him. Was he so out of it that he really didn't know why she was in the church? Or maybe he did but was simply trying to play innocent so she wouldn't know what he was up to. The latter definitely hurt more. "The question is...what are you doing here? Is my bar not good enough for you or something that you have to come here and sleep in HER church?" she spat. She knew she was being too harsh on the dead flower girl and tried to pray to her for forgiveness, but unfortunately her anger was just too strong.

"I...Oh god...what time is it?" Cloud looked at his wrist and found that it was well over midnight. _I must have fallen asleep here when I was suppose to be on my way home!_

"Don't make excuses for yourself Cloud..." Tifa whispered. She could feel her cheeks burning and her eyes stinging with tears as she prepared to take hold of the door again.

"Tifa! Wait!" Cloud blocked her from taking another step towards the front entrance. "Please...forgive me. I am SO sorry! I was on my way home, but I was just so tired that I had to rest. I must have fallen asleep! I never meant to do this to hurt you..."

"Did you also forget that you were suppose to come home early to help set up the Christmas tree?" she snapped. "Get out of my way. I want to go home, but you are free to stay here if you wish."

"Tifa! I didn't do this on purpose! I hope you're not thinking that I want to move away from you and stay here! I only left you before because I had Geostigma, but I'm cured now!" he reminded her. "Please..." he pleaded as he held on to her tightly.

"Let go!" she demanded again.

"I'm so sorry about the Christmas tree. The thing is that..I lost track of time at work. It's just been so busy..." he continued sincerely. Inside, he wanted to kill himself. How could he forget the special moment Tifa wanted to spend with him and the kids? He could feel his own eyes burning with tears as well from the guilt that was consuming him inside.

"Right. That's what you said last night. Sure Cloud, I believe you," Tifa said sarcastically. "Now get out of my way!" She furiously brushed away the tears that were cascading over her swollen face. Thankfully, the chapel was too dark to clearly see the details. With a final shove, she violently forced him to the side as she dashed out into the cold, leaving him standing to watch her run.

_Fuck..._

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Author's Notes: Final chapter is coming up soon. I'm sorry that I couldn't get this done by Christmas. I have been pretty busy, especially with school starting again. I hope you all had a great holiday and Happy New Year! I believe one of my reviewers commented that Cloud seems a little bit out of character. I do agree with that. He does seem more cheerful. Forgive me. I don't have the time to deeply explore his character since I want to finish this Christmas fic ASAP. It just wouldn't seem right if I finish this fic in March so I'm sorry if it seems rushed. Thank you all for reading and please leave a review. I enjoy reading them very much!


	4. Chapter IV

_I was too hard on him last night..._

Tifa rubbed her sore eyes. After she ran out of the church, she couldn't help but cry at the thought that Cloud had abandoned her again. When was he finally going to let go of the past and focus on the future. He had so much going for him and she wanted to help. However, how was she going to do that if he kept pushing her away? Maybe he didn't want her help? That was also a possibility.

Black glossy eyes remained fixed out the window as the train noisily made its way across the wayward tracks of Sector 7. The day was absolutely beautiful with fresh layers of snow piling over the tainted crusty ones that had been planted for the past couple of days. The sun wasn't too bright and a couple of night clouds were still evident in the sky. It was like dawn and dusk colliding , creating almost a surreal atmosphere that was too perfect to be found in real life. The brunette had only seen an environment she was witnessing now in fairy tales. According to old Nibelheim legends, the clouds would only be consumed by a morning glory when a couple find peace with each other.

Tifa Lockhart took another sip of her cup of coffee, not realizing that her favorite Christmas lipstick was being smeared at the rim as the train came to a sudden halt. Her fingers gripped tightly around the foam cup to prevent the hot liquid from splashing on the two children in front of her. 

Marlene and Denzel looked up from their coloring books with confusion. Tifa only shook her head and smiled sheepishly. She mentally scolded herself for not getting a grip of reality. No matter how much she wanted to shift her attention, her mind kept wandering back to the maelstrom of memories from last night. There were so many questions running through her and there were so many answers she didn't know. That fact bothered her immensely. Because she didn't know WHY he left her and stayed at the church, she was drawing up her own conclusions and pushing herself to the brink of paranoia.

"You okay Tifa?" Marlene looked up from her coloring book the second time.

"I'm fine." Tifa tried her best to smile, but it was hard for the kids to see her usual radiating features that were now marred with dark circles underneath her eyes and her drained complexion. "I guess I just need more sleep."

"Are you sick?" Denzel asked with concern.

_I'm sick of having to put up with this mess..._

"No Denzel. I'm perfectly healthy," she reassured the young boy. "Hey! Now it's not the time to get all worried! It's Christmas and you're going to see Santa soon. Marlene, you're going to see your father soon! He's waiting for us at the mall."

"I can't wait to see Daddy!" The young girl got up from her seat and embraced Tifa. "I have so much to tell him, especially how nice you have been to me and Denzel." Having Tifa was like having the mother she never had. She had been with her for as long as she could remember. Deep down, Marlene knew Tifa was upset about Cloud and about last night when he didn't show up. As the hours ticked away, they had no choice but to set up the tree without the last family member. "Tifa?"

"Hmm?"

"You're telling us that we should be happy that it's Christmas today. How come you're not happy?"

"Marlene...I..." She didn't know what to say. The girl was obviously wise beyond her ages and could probably tell if she was lying or not. "You're right. I am upset about Cloud, but let's not let it get to us."

"Did you find him last night?" Denzel asked.

"Yeah. I found him at Aerith's church..."

Marlene and Denzel immediately grew silent, realizing that they shouldn't probe anymore. Denzel didn't know the flower girl at all, but Marlene spent many nights telling him about the angel who sacrificed her life to save the Planet. She meant dearly to everyone, especially to Cloud. Marlene understood that Aerith had saved Cloud in ways that Tifa never could providing that she was not an Ancient. Was that why she felt so defeated? Like she was second best?

"Sector 5!" the conductor's voice roared through the speakers.

"Oh, it's our stop! Come on!" Tifa gathered her belongings and held on to the children's hand on either side of her. _Perfect timing. Just when the situation was becoming awkward..._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Man, you don't like happy. Act jolly damn it!" The manager gave a look of annoyance as he fixed the Santa beard for the tenth time. He took a step back and shook his head. Last night he could have sworn the blonde was the perfect candidate, but now he would give anything to replace him if he could.

Cloud was on the verge of tearing the whole costume apart. His face flushed with anger as he tugged on the beard and straightened it. "DAMN." He pulled a bit too hard and the rubber band snapped harshly against his chin. "I look ridiculous in this outfit..." he muttered under his breath while gently rubbing the tingling pain pricking at his jaw. He was doing this to get the money for Tifa's present. If he found another option, the costume would have already been shredded by his sword.

"Ah screw it. If that's the best you can do, you better get out there. You got a whole crowd of kids waiting to see you!" The manager slapped the blonde's back as a friendly gesture. He had to stifle a laugh as he watched Cloud walk towards the curtains with the big lumpy velvet costume that was bigger than him and brown boots that were made for Bigfoot. "You'll get your pay soon son! Merry Christmas."

"Yeah whatever..." Cloud grumbled as he threw the matching floppy hat on. "I can't wait until this is over..." Picking up his golden bell, he rattled it as he emerged from behind the red curtains to an endless line of kids and adults.

_Oh God...help me._

"SANTA!" the kids cheered.

The leader immediately started to panic as he heard children calling out for him in all directions. He felt trapped, lost in a cyclone of ambient childish screams that was destroying his precious ears by the second. He wanted to curse in anguish and run back behind the curtains to avoid the sea of a bunch of seven year olds who still believe in the myth that Santa exists. 

_Get into the spirit! _he scolded himself. _Just because you had a huge fight with Tifa last night doesn't mean you have to ruin other people's happiness._

"OH...Ho ho ho...! Now now, if you would all just calm down!" Cloud yelled a bit too loud in frustration. When he saw that the innocent children opened their eyes in surprise at the rough and demanding statement, he immediately felt sweat pouring down his face. "Um...I mean...there's plenty of time to cheer Santa on later. I...yeah!" Cloud grimaced as he heard his voice hit an unbelievably high pitch that he didn't know he was able to produce. It hurt his throat and he had to swallow a couple of deep breaths to maintain his rigid stance.

With a forced grin, he turned to sit at his cozily decorated chair. Next to him was a plastic life size reindeer. To Cloud, the animal's facial features were painted in a way that made it look insane and psychotic. He couldn't help but shiver as he stared at the rather frightening two rows of pearly white teeth, which appeared to be saying "I want to take a bite out of you."

"Santa!"

The blonde's thoughts were interrupted when a little girl in a red dress came running up to him. Her short black hair bobbed up and down as she climbed up the stairs to pet the killer reindeer before climbing up the chair.

"Help her up you idiot!" The midget elf whispered in Cloud's ears.

"Huh? Ohh!" Cloud instantly caught on and helped the little girl into his lap. He was so glad that the gigantic beard was large enough to cover his whole burning face. The entire crowd of kids must've thought he was some loony. "And what would you like for Christmas this year? Ho ho ho..."

"Well let's see!" she squeaked. The brunette pulled out a scroll from her dress and opened it. The roll of paper freely cascaded to the floor as she started reading each item one by one. "I want a doll, a kitchen set, a box of candy, make up. Hmm...do you think I'm too young for make up? My mommy thinks so. Anyway, I want a car, a computer, my own phone..."

The last word Cloud heard was 'phone'. After that, his mind started to drift again while the girl kept reading on. He could've sworn she didn't look like a brat when she climbed her way up to greet him. His mako eyes widened as his gazed pierced through the swarm of people. What if all the kids were going to be like the one he had on his lap right now? Cloud felt his stomach churning.

_I think I'm going to be sick..._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Barret! There you are!" Tifa cried in excitement as she saw her former AVALANCHE comrade. The feeling was mutual as the two close friends quickly exchanged hugs. 

"I've been waiting in line here, savin a spot for all of ya! Merry Christmas." Barret's eyes lit up when he saw Marlene running towards him. He simultaneously opened his muscular arms as the girl came rushing into his embrace. Nothing felt better than having your own child in your hold.

"Daddy! I missed you so much! Hehe, your beard still tickles!" Marlene laughed while pushing away his chin at the same time. She planted a firm kiss on his cheek and pulled Denzel next to her. "This is Denzel. I think you two met before?"

Tifa smiled at their little conversation. She would join in but her mind kept wandering back to the fight she had with Cloud. He never came home. Today was Christmas and she had no idea where he was. She assumed he was still at Aertih's church. That thought brought pain to her heart. She loved the flower girl dearly, but why wasn't SHE the one in Cloud's heart and mind. She wish she could just be carefree and laugh with the people around her, but it wasn't possible.

"What's wrong Tifa?" Barret asked when he noticed the brunette standing coldly beside everyone else. "It's that spikey headed ass again."

Tifa sighed. He was going to find out sooner or later. "We had a fight last night and it was over something so stupid. He promised he would be home to help set up the tree, but he never showed up. I went to look for him and found him asleep in Aerith's church. I thought he had work and that's what he said but...I don't know. What if he just wants to be with her?"

"That's not true Teef. Look, I know that spikey headed ass can be a real jerk sometimes, but I also know you mean alot to him...more than just friends," Barret encouraged. He firmly gripped her shoulder and looked her into the eye. "Trust me."

Tifa's lips tugged into a tiny grin. "Thanks. I trust you...I guess."

Time appeared to be moving much faster now as the long Santa line was finally coming to a halt. They were only a couple of people ahead of them before Marlene and Denzel would get to meet Santa and have their picture taken.

"I can't wait to tell Santa what I want for Christmas this year. I hope he makes everything come true!" Marlene jumped up and down, trying to peer through the cracks in the gathering.

"Isn't that just some myth?" Tifa whispered to Barret. Marlene was still young. She didn't want to break her spirit.

"Heh. Who knows? I had all my dreams come true during Christmas, but I didn't wish for outrageous things."

"Really?"

"Yeah really. Teef. I know what you're thinking. It's hilarious, but you should try it." Barret turned away and laughed.

"Hey, what's so funny? It's reasonable isn't it?" Tifa couldn't help but laugh at her silly idea as well. "It's worth a try."

* * *

"What are you guys talking about?" Denzel asked curiously as he watched the two adults giggle amongst themselves. He shot Marlene a confused look and she returned an equal expression.

"Marlene, may I get a picture of Cloud so I can show Santa what I want this year?" Tifa asked sweetly. Marlene gave her a weird look but pulled out a group picture from her wallet.

"Here you go Tifa."

"Thanks sweetheart. I hope this works..." Tifa whispered as she gently clutched the picture between her fingers. Maybe it was time she started believing in Christmas miracles.

_- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -_

_Oh my lord...is that Tifa, Barret, Denzel, and Marlene? _

Cloud felt his sweat dripping by beads as he saw the familiar group of people just a couple of feet away from him. He had no idea they were going to be present for the photo shoot. Maybe if he had kept his eyes opened and didn't sleep through half the time the kids were reading their scrolls, he could've spotted them.

_This is too awkward!_

He reached out and grabbed the elf, accidentally tipping over the reindeer in the process.

"You gotta help me! I need to take a break...NOW!" Cloud muttered through his teeth. The green elf slapped his arm away.

"What do you mean you need a break. We got just a few more people left. Stay and finish your damn job or I'm going to tell the manager to not pay you!"

_Crap. What am I going to do?_

"Santa!" 

It was too late to run. Marlene and Denzel were already running towards him with joy brimming in their eyes. Barret and Tifa lagged a little behind them until the elf pushed them next to the chair.

Cloud quickly scooped the kids into his lap but he couldn't take his eyes off of Tifa. She looked absolutely stunning in her simple black coat layered with buttons in the middle and a red scarf around her neck. Her dark eyes darted from side to side like a foreigner feeling out of place. The rims and corner of her orbs were somewhat red and Cloud instantly felt a pang of guilt. He knew why. She must have been crying after the quarrel they had last night. She tried hard to cover her flaw with makeup, but Cloud could see through all of it as his mako eyes traced the outline of her pink puffs.

"Uh...is there a reason why ya lookin' at the lady instead of doing your job?" Barret couldn't help but comment. He knew Tifa was an attractive lady and the guy behind the Santa suit was probably some sixty year old horny scum bag.

Cloud gulped and shook his head. He was relieved that the mall forbids the carrying of weapons or else his face would have met Barret's machine gun by now.

Tifa blushed as she felt her body tense up. She was still holding the small picture in her hand and was wondering whether or not she should go through with the childish idea. It seemed so silly, but maybe she was going to receive a miracle this Christmas. She waited patiently while Marlene and Denzel each spoke to Santa about their gifts and wishes. When they were done, the elf quickly ushered them off of Santa's lap.

"All right. You're next lady! You wait your turn man!" said the elf, obviously referring to Barret. He roughly pushed Tifa onto Santa's lap before she got a chance to protest.

Cloud's hands fumbled as he nervously caught the female before she tipped over on to the reindeer. Tifa blushed again as she sat uncomfortably on his lap.

"So um...ho ho ho...what would you like for Christmas this year...Ti- I mean...young lady!" His voice was breaking down and sweat was pouring all over his face behind the thick bush of white beard. He felt his hands shaking as he tried to hold her firmly to keep her from falling over.

"Hey man! This is your second warning! Git your hands off of the woman!" Barret knocked the elf out of the way and stood protectively beside the martial artist.

Cloud quickly threw up his arms in fear of Barret ripping off his costume in anger and exposing his true identity in the process.

Tifa shot Barret an annoyed look. Even though she knew his intentions were good, he had no right to scare off the poor man behind the costume. "I'm sorry about that. My friend can be a bit...hotheaded at times."

Barret opened his mouth, ready to rebuke when Tifa quickly changed the subject. 

"Umm...anyway...you asked what I want for Christmas this year? Well, to tell the truth...I never really believed in miracles, but I decided to give it a shot today." She took a deep breath and unfolded her hands, revealing the glossy small picture of her, Cloud, and the kids. "Um...well...this is what I want." She ran her index finger over the blonde in the snapshot before preparing to withdraw the item. "Heh. Sorry, you must think I'm so childish. It's just that we had this huge fight last night...and I really regret what I told him. Things were just not...smooth this holiday."

_Oh Tifa..._

"I'm so sorry!" Cloud blurted out and wrapped his arms tightly around the brunette. He leaned his chin against her shoulder as he inhaled her deep rose scent, letting himself drown in the moment with her and not having a care about anything else.

"Hey! Wha ya think ya doin'? Git off of her you scum!" Barret roared. This time Tifa did not object. Honestly, she was freaked out and frightened at the same time that the mysterious man clad in the Santa costume was all over her.

With a fierce yank, Barret pulled the Santa's arms away from the female, giving her the chance to escape. He easily lifted the 5'7 soldier into the air and shredded away his beard, hat, and all the buttons on his overall.

"Let go of me Barret!" Cloud gasped as Barret's grip tightened around his neck.

When the first sign of wild blonde hair poked out into full view, the gunman dropped the man in pure shock. Tifa and the kids rushed over to help up the Santa but their jaws dropped opened when they saw Cloud curling on the floor, doubling over in pain.

"Cloud!" Tifa exclaimed in horror. Her innocent eyes grew wide with shock before shooting him a demanding look. "What are you doing?" 

"Tifa wait!' Cloud furiously waved his arms in front of him in defense. "I can explain all this! Really!" He stood up and was met by a crowd of people below him who all appeared alarmed at the situation. He saw security guards pouring in to ease the tension among the angry group of people while parents were comforting their crying kids, obviously devastated at the fact that the 'Santa' they met a few minutes ago was nothing but a simple citizen who looked like a zombie due to lack of sleep.

"Say cheese!" the elf laughed as he positioned the camera in front of him.

"What?" Cloud screamed.

SNAP

"Here's your damn picture with your lady, the kids, and this guy who looks like he's on steroids." The elf threw the picture into the air in which Tifa scrambled to catch between her hands.

"Steroids? I'll show you!" Barret picked up the measly midget with one hand and easily tossed him into the Christmas tree behind him.

"WHAT IS ALL THIS COMMOTION STRIFE?" The manager rushed out from behind the curtains. His face was beet red and his fists were curled so tight that Tifa thought his fingers were going to rip through his palms if he applied an ounce more of pressure.

"I can explain SIR!"

"DON'T BOTHER. YOU ARE FIRED."

"What? You can't fire me! I've been working this whole damn morning for the money so I can buy the necklace for Tifa!" Cloud angrily retorted. He chased after the manager, but stopped when he realized what he just slipped out. Spinning around, he found Tifa staring at him in awe. Her lips were slightly parted, but no words developed. 

"I guess you were going to find out sooner or later..." Cloud murmured as the elf and manager dashed away behind the curtains. "I'm sorry..." he sincerely apologized again.

"Cloud..." Tifa whispered in a barely audible voice. She felt all her anxiety and fear melt away from the revelation, but only to be replaced by enormous guilt. He was working for HER all this time and she assumed otherwise. "Don't be sorry. It's my fault. Really, I'm the one who is sorry. I'm sorry for thinking the worst of you!" She rushed over and threw herself into his arms. This time, HE was taken by surprise. "Thank you so much Cloud! No wonder you look so exhausted..." she observed when she took a step back. Dark circles lined his dull blue eyes while his hair was caught in a harsh frenzy. She didn't know what else to do except to kiss him softly on the cheek. "Come home with me?"

"Of course Tifa...but you have nothing to be sorry about. I'm sorry I couldn't get you that necklace you had your eyes on for Christmas..." he sighed. He was thinking about running back to the manager to demand his remaining gils, but something inside of him told him it was futile to do so due to the ruckus he caused in the entire mall.

"Cloud! Didn't you hear what I told 'Santa' what I want for Christmas this year? I want...you...!"

"Heh, looks like someone got their wish after all!" Barret cheered. "Spike, you finally did something right for once in ya miserable life!"

"Thanks Barret...I think?"

"Great, so that means we're not gonna get the toys we want then?" Denzel pouted.

Marlene mimicked him before hugging Cloud's waist. "Nope! But at least we got Cloud for Christmas this year and I know how much he makes Tifa happy!"

The martial artist laughed. "And, we also got this!" She waved the goofy picture in the air for all to see. "The perfect picture."

"Oh we have to frame that one for sure!" Cloud exclaimed. "Heh...let's get out of here. We still have the whole day and I want to spend it with my family." He jumped out of the remnants of his suit and tossed it over the reindeer. _I can breathe again._

"Where are we going to go?" Tifa asked.

"Home. Barret, come with us. We need to spend Christmas together as a family. Heh...the fresh snow is falling so maybe we can build a snowman together...or something fun like that. Besides, the sky is clear. There isn't a single cloud visible."

Tifa grinned. "Maybe miracles do happen..." 

Author's notes: I am sooo sorry for taking so long, but I hope you all like the final chapter! Hehe...it looks like I am almost a month late, but I had alot of tests and midterms to study for so I apologize again. Thanks for reading and as always, your reviews are appreciated. Thanks everyone. Writing this piece was fun and I look forward to more CloTi!


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